When things don’t go as planned

I’m sitting here at the car shop with a hungry belly, 8% battery-life on my cell, and just thanking God for friends. Thank you God for an abundance of contacts to reach out to because people have lives and the ones you ask (sadly) might not be available when you need them. So I end up asking many folks. Many. I HATE asking for help. Especially when I NEED help. Isn’t that funny? Am I the only one? I hate asking because maybe then that’s when you realize there is no one around and you’re all alone. I think that is my fear. Also, I don’t want to inconvenience anyone. Sure, folks “inconvenience” me (no they just ask me for help but when I ask them, I feel like it’s an “inconvenience”), but that’s to be expected. (This is an obvious discrepancy. Did you spot that too?) Not sure why I can‘t be okay as the one asking though. God is breaking me down though..bit by bit. He sure is.

I like to daydream. I just smiled to myself sitting here in the waiting area wondering what it would be like if I made a video of me screaming outside running around yelling things like, “WHY ME????!!” “WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME???” And then kick and throw things to show how frustrated I am. What if an adult does this when things don’t go their way? It was be crazy to see. I imagined myself filming this video and what the other five people sitting in the lobby would say or do as they watch me throw my fit. Um… I’d probably go viral. The headlines would say, “Crazy woman throws fit at car shop.” “Police called for disturbance in Colonial Heights.” “Kids re-homed for safety concerns.”

Speaking of kids, what I needed help with was picking them up from their camp at 11:30, which I had just dropped them off this morning to leave and go grocery shopping when the dreaded engine light came on. When I started the truck this morning I noticed a strong idle, especially when I was backing up, that wasn’t there before. So I knew something was up. And then there was the engine light. Oh brother!!! Of course my better half is gone when this happens but thankfully he was available via text. “The truck was idling hard today. Should I get it checked out?” A few seconds later, “The engine light is on now. What do I do?” I’m sure he was thinking, “I’m hundreds of miles away woman, figure it out!” But after YEARS of marriage and having struggled through answers like that, I’d say we both have finally learned to hold our tongues at moments of crisis. If you don’t, it will bite you later because you’ll keep hearing about it over and over and over for years. 😆

So………. I’m still waiting. It’s now about 10am, I guess, and they say it will be $750 to fix it (We chose to go all the way baby!) No problem. We have lots of money laying around around here. I’m thinking to myself, “Self, at what point do we call it quits on our 2008 Ford Expedition? I mean it’s not like we NEED an 8 passenger SUV.” We tried looking up the Kelly Blue Book value last time a major service was needed and found out that our truck wasn’t worth much in cash/ trade now. We decided to stick it out. I bet my husband’s rethinking this right now as I type this…… But, let me go back and clarify the money thing so we don’t get robbed. Of course, we don’t have money just laying around. What I meant was, thankfully, even though this is almost a grand to drop (and I haven’t even gotten the final bill yet – so who knows?) unexpectedly, it’s not an “emergency.” I’m thinking of my man, Dave Ramsey of Financial Peace University. Emergencies happen when you’re not prepared with some money in savings to take care of the unexpected. We’re prepared and so it’s not an emergency and so I’m very thankful. Either way I’m thankful. THIS is the timely lesson that I will tell the kids about when I see them in a bit. (Thanks to a mom who was available and willing to help me grab the kids and drop them off here at the shop today. Thank you!!!!). I say “timely lesson” because just last night one of them (they will remain nameless) threw a fit when their unexpected happened.

–magical clouds and I’m going back to thoughts from last night—-harp music plays–

No, absolutely it is NOT okay to act crazy because things didn’t go like you expected, or you goofed up and lost your money, or you wasted your allowance that you just received earlier that DAY for the month on buying a gift card to spend money on a game online because you refused to wait until someone else returned to do it so you begged to go to Walgreen’s and when you did you immediately spent all your money and when you were able to use your “free time” (internet time) you rushed to redeem it but then you – because you were in a hurry – scratched the numbers OFF with the coin and then threw a fit because now it’s unusable. Whew. Gee, was that a run-on sentence or what? See kids! THIS was an example of how NOT to write, right there! (Check out those homophones! Ohhh! She’s good!)

–magical clouds and now I’m returning back to the present– –harp music plays–

Let me close this blog post by saying (my husband says I write waaay too much so I’m trying to cut back. I wouldn’t want you to start scanning my blogs instead of reading them all the way through! Anyone still with me? Let me know! I talk back!) well, I learned that I should have let my friend help me. What? I thought you said she DID help you. Well, she was going to, but I stopped her. You see, the car shop people called my name at 11:18am (which is excellent because I think I got there around 9am without an appointment) and I paid my bill which she said added up to $811.04 (replaced all 8 coils in our engine). BUT, because of the “owner advantage” at Quicklane Tire and Auto Center, located at 4520 Whitehill Blvd, Prince George VA 23875, (I had no idea what that was and that apparently I was accumulating a 5% discount coupon and a free future oil change!?!?) I applied the $85.60 discount which brought my balance down to $725.44. How cool is that?? Thanks Quicklane!

I sure am glad that Ford next door was booked out so I could discover the “owner advantage.”

I’m glad Ford was booked through next week and you, Quick Lane, were available today to help me right away! Yay! So, I paid my bill and contacted my friend who was on the way to pick them up saying that, “No, friend. I have exactly 10 minutes to get there. I’m sure I can make it. Thank you for your help though!”

Of course, I overestimated my abilities to time warp myself across Colonial Heights, through Fort Lee Army post and then down Prince George without getting a speeding ticket and making it there at the destination in 10 minutes. I arrived promptly at 11:44am (I was supposed to be there at 11:30am) whereas my kids (the only kids) were waiting outside with the two teachers. They ran over to the truck when they saw me and immediately one says “Walgreen’s.”

The things parents do… I pray these hard lessons stick and help to better shape their futures.

Nevermind what just happened since I dropped you off or asking how was I doing. Gee, only 14 minutes late when I had someone lined up and on the way so that the kids could get picked up and at that, picked up on time. Sigh… Next time, I should LET PEOPLE HELP ME. When will I learn?

Author: Sejana

I love Jesus. Music. My family. Hosting folks. Bible studies. Teaching. Exhorting. Discipleship. Sharing Truth. God's given me a heart towards unbelievers and the unwanted/mistreated/abused especially children. I long to see people discover God, embrace and submit to Him in ALL areas of their life. Read more about how that works out in my life on my blog! https://sejanashines.com/ We are currently living in South Korea for now!
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